Michael Todd Fagan (born November 4, 1980) is an American former professional bowler on the PBA Tour. He has also participated in World Bowling Tour (WBT) and European Bowling Tour (EBT) events, and as a member of Team USA in international competitions. Known for his high backswing, he was given the nickname "King of Swing". He has a high RPM rate, but also has a smooth release, so his style can be classified as either a cranker or a power stroker.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
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Full name | Michael Todd Fagan | ||||||||||||||
Nickname(s) | King of Swing, Argyle Assassin | ||||||||||||||
Born | Westbury, New York, U.S. | November 4, 1980||||||||||||||
Years active | 2002–2016 | ||||||||||||||
Spouse | Emily Maier | ||||||||||||||
Sport | |||||||||||||||
Country | United States | ||||||||||||||
Sport | Ten-pin bowling | ||||||||||||||
League | PBA | ||||||||||||||
Turned pro | 2002 | ||||||||||||||
Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
World finals | 5 European Bowling Tour | ||||||||||||||
National finals | 5 PBA Tour (2 majors) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Fagan began his PBA career in the 2002–03 season, and owns five PBA Tour titles, including two majors. He captured his first PBA title in his 108th career event, winning the PBA Exempt Doubles Classic with partner Danny Wiseman in the 2007–08 season. He earned his first singles title at the 2010 One-a-Day Dick Weber Open, defeating all-time titles leader Walter Ray Williams, Jr. in the final match.[1][2]
Having lost to Chris Barnes in his first TV appearance at the semifinals of the 2003 Empire State Open in Latham, New York, Fagan won against Barnes in the 2012 USBC Masters, overcoming a 30-pin deficit after five frames to win his third title and first major championship.[3] Fagan narrowly missed winning a second consecutive major in that season's U.S. Open, when Pete Weber rolled a strike on his final ball of the tenth frame to defeat Fagan by a single pin, 215–214.[4] His next victory came at the 2012 Brunswick Euro Challenge, a World Bowling Tour event, where he was credited with his fourth PBA Title.[5] Marking his first (and so far only) season with multiple titles, Fagan won a career-high $116,950 in 2011–12.
Fagan won his fifth career title and second major at the PBA World Championship on January 11, 2015, defeating Wes Malott in the final match, 252–212.[6]
Major championships are in bold text.
Originally from Patchogue, New York, Fagan now resides in Las Vegas with his wife, Emily, who bowled collegiately for Wichita State University and also for Team USA 2010.[9] The two were married in 2013. Mike, who got his undergraduate degree in Finance at St. John's University, announced during the 2015 season that he would be reducing his appearances on the PBA Tour to pursue his MBA at the University of California, Berkeley.[10] He only entered three PBA Tour events in the 2016 season and did not make an appearance in the 2017 season. By 2020, he had become Director of Business Development for a company that owns bowling centers in Minnesota.[11]